THE EFFECT OF FERTILIZATION SYSTEM AND PRIMARY SOIL TILLAGE ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF CORN HYBRIDS

Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.), as one of the most productive grain crops, plays a key role in successfully solving the
problem of sustainable grain production in the agro-industrial complex of Ukraine. The most important
factors in corn growing technology are the sowing of modern hybrids seeds, applying of micro-fertilizers and
taking into account current trends in the planning of soil tillage and fertilization. The aim of the study was to
determine the effect of different fertilization systems and methods of primary tillage on the biometric
parameters and formation of productivity elements of corn hybrids of different maturity groups. In the course
of the study the following scientific methods were used: analysis, synthesis, field and statistical methods.
Analyzing the effect of tillage methods on linear growth, it should be noted that the highest plant height of
DN Patriot and DN Fiesta corn hybrids was obtained under moldboard tillage, and plant height of DN Julia
corn hybrid was almost the same under both moldboard and shallow tillage. On the average over the years
of studies, the highest grain yield of DN Patriot, DN Fiesta corn hybrids was obtained by combining mineral
fertilizers’ application at a dose of N45K40K60 and foliar fertilization with carbamide (15 kg ha-1) and
Novalon Foliar micro-fertilizer (1.0 kg ha-1) in the phase of 5–6 leaves at the background of moldboard
tillage. The increase in grain yield of corn hybrids in comparison with the control was, respectively, 1.06
and 1.20 t ha-1 which was 19.2 and 18.9 %. In case of shallow and sub-surface tillage techniques, a decrease
in grain yield of DN Patriot and DN Fiesta corn hybrids by 0.05–0.23 t ha-1 and by 0.17–0.58 t ha-1
respectively was obtained in comparison with moldboard plowing. The medium-ripe DN Julia corn hybrid
was the most productive in a similar variant of fertilization under surface tillage. In this variant the grain
yield increased by 1.07 t ha-1 or 16.6 % as compared with the variant without fertilizing. In case of subsurface
tillage and moldboard plowing, the grain yield decreased by 0.37 and 0.50 t ha-1 or 4.9 and 6.6 %
respectively, as compared with shallow tillage.